In an age filled with selfies, Snapchat and Instagram, adventurists and photographers are looking for any edge they can find to capture that perfect shot or video. Up until now, photography has primarily been taken on the ground with both feet firmly planted. But who says that should stop us for reaching for the stars, or more realistically, the clouds in the sky? That’s where the DJI Inspire 1 comes into play; this drone is a photographer’s, videographer’s and hobbyist’s dream come true.

Pros

The Inspire 1 is revolutionary – not only does it allow you to take 12MP stills and film in 4K, but users can also dual link two controllers so that while one person controls the drone’s movement, another can focus on the photography. The 360-degree rotating camera gives you the freedom to capture every shot imaginable, ranging from low-light to panorama. With shutter speeds as high as 1/8000th, Inspire 1 ensures a perfect freeze frame with zero motion blur.

One of the best features lies entirely in its autonomy – with the ability to download 3rd party apps, you can fully automate this drone to capture awesome footage like a selfie or to follow you around, launching aerial photography to new heights. Because it’s a DJI drone, the Inspire 1 is made to pretty much be flown out of the box. All it takes is a few minutes to attach the propellers, gimbal and battery to be flying and shooting photos in no time.

Cons

There are some downfalls associated with the Inspire that raise an eyebrow. For starters, the price tag is roughly $3,000, which is pretty steep. But quality drones ain’t cheap, so you will definitely get what you pay for. Unfortunately, the battery life is relatively short, measuring in at roughly 18 minutes. Multiple batteries will most likely need to be purchased, especially if you’re using this drone for photography reasons (you’ll be hard-pressed to get your perfect shots in under 20 minutes). The Inspire also lacks the advanced technology that provides obstacle avoidance. Those who program the Inspire to follow them around should be wary of this, as the drone cannot detect and maneuver around things like trees and power lines that may wind up in its path on its own.

Bottom Line

The Inspire 1 is a fantastic drone that allows you to capture every single shot imaginable. Whether you’re trying to shoot an amazing sunset or film a time-lapse video of the traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, the Inspire 1 will be your trusty sidekick and get the job done.